In his Poetic License film review, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne calls Maude Apatow’s directorial debut a “resouncing success”.
In his Poetic License film review, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne calls Maude Apatow’s directorial debut is a “resounding success”.
On paper, one of the films that stands out most at TIFF 2025, is Poetic License. It’s a family affair with the film marking the directorial debut of actor, Maude Apatow, daughter of famed writer and director Judd Apatow, and starring her real-life mother Leslie Mann. Starring opposite Mann is rapper turned actor, Clifford Smith, aka Method Man, as her highly successful and overachieving professor husband. It’s not only a rare depiction of a mature interracial couple, but the idea of Mann and Method Man playing an onscreen couple is enough to make potential viewers curious.
The film also boasts an impressive list of second generation Hollywood stars. Joining Maude Apatow are Cooper Hoffman, son of Dustin Hoffman, and Nico Parker, daughter of British actress, Thandiwe Newton, who both playing key roles.
The film sees James Cassidy (Method Man) and his wife Liz (Leslie Mann) move to a new town where James is assuming a new professor position at a university. Meanwhile, Liz takes up a new position as an auditor of a poetry workshop where she befriends Ari (Cooper Hoffman) and Sam (Andrew Barth Feldman), a pair of college best friends whose friendship is showing early signs of strain. The trio become fast friends, but Ari and Sam’s friendship is tested when they both fall in love with Liz—a married woman…whose husband works on campus…and happens to be Sam’s professor. Yup, it’s messy. What can possibly go wrong, right?
The film touches on a few interesting points which make this story standout. Aside from the previously mentioned mature, interracial couple, it’s a multi-generational coming-of-age film which should resonate with a wide audience. Not only do we get a story about college life and the ups and downs of middle age life, but we see James and Liz’s daughter, Dora (Parker), adjust to a new school in a new town as she tries to fit in. We often associate coming-of-age stories with angsty teenagers or college kids trying to find their way (which we have in this film), but a coming-of-age film about a 50-something woman who is still trying to figure her life out is both realistic and refreshing.
Of course, a film is only as strong as its script, directing, and performances, and Poetic License delivers on all fronts. Mann delivers as expected, but among the standouts is Hoffman, with his strange and sometimes dead pan approach to comedy. He successfully carries much of the humor in the film (which had the TIFF audience laughing out loud). Meanwhile, Feldman adds a sense of realism and humor with the character of Sam providing a perfect contrast to Ari, completing this 20-something odd couple.
Parker also delivers a noteworthy and believable performance as a teenager trying to find her place in the world, as does Method Man, whose role is in stark contrast to the grimy and deceitful characters he usually portrays.
Overall, Maude Apatow’s directorial debut is a resounding success. It’s a highly entertaining, well-written, well-directed, and well-performed film that has a little something for everyone (except small children).
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 340 international voters for the Golden Globe Awards and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
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